Department of Allergology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland.
Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2020 May;26(3):285-292. doi: 10.1097/MCP.0000000000000673.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNA molecules that are considered one of the fundamental regulatory mechanisms of gene expression. They are involved in many biologic processes, such as signal transduction, cell proliferation and differentiation, apoptosis and stress responses. The purpose of this review is to present recent knowledge about the role of miRNAs in asthma and outline possible applications of miRNAs.
A core set of miRNAs involved in asthma includes downregulated let-7 family, miR-193b, miR-375 as well as upregulated miR-21, miR-223, miR-146a, miR-142-5p, miR-142-3p, miR-146b and miR-155. Recently it has been shown that most of the involved miRNAs increase secretion of Th2 cytokines, decrease secretion of Th1 cytokines, promote differentiation of T cells towards Th2 or play a role in hyperplasia and hypertrophy of bronchial smooth muscle cells. The profiles of miRNAs correlate with clinical characteristics, including lung function, phenotype and severity of asthma.
Recent publications confirmed crucial regulatory role of miRNAs in the pathomechanism of asthma. Some single miRNAs or their sets hold the promise for their use as asthma biomarkers facilitating diagnosis or prediction of treatment outcomes. They are also possible target of future therapies. The studies in this field are lacking though.
微小 RNA（miRNA）是一种小的非编码 RNA 分子，被认为是基因表达的基本调控机制之一。它们参与许多生物过程，如信号转导、细胞增殖和分化、细胞凋亡和应激反应。本文旨在介绍 miRNA 在哮喘中的作用的最新知识，并概述 miRNA 的可能应用。
参与哮喘的 miRNA 核心集包括下调的 let-7 家族、miR-193b、miR-375 以及上调的 miR-21、miR-223、miR-146a、miR-142-5p、miR-142-3p、miR-146b 和 miR-155。最近表明，大多数涉及的 miRNA 增加了 Th2 细胞因子的分泌，减少了 Th1 细胞因子的分泌，促进 T 细胞向 Th2 分化或在支气管平滑肌细胞的增生和肥大中发挥作用。miRNA 的特征与临床特征相关，包括肺功能、表型和哮喘的严重程度。
最近的研究证实了 miRNA 在哮喘发病机制中的关键调节作用。一些单一的 miRNA 或它们的组合有望作为哮喘的生物标志物，有助于诊断或预测治疗结果。它们也可能是未来治疗的靶点。然而，该领域的研究还很缺乏。
